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Websleuths News

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NC - Zebb Quinn, 18, Asheville, 2 Jan 2000

Missing Since: January 2, 2000 from Asheville, North Carolina Classification: Endangered Missing Date Of Birth: May 12, 1981 Age: 18 years old Height and Weight: 5'9, 165 pounds Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair, blue eyes. Quinn has scars between his ring and middle fingers on both of his hands. Clothing/Jewelry Description: A white t-shirt with a logo, a plaid button-down shirt, Tommy Hilfiger jeans or khaki pants and a gold chain necklace. Medical Conditions: Quinn has an organizational/learning disability.

Details of Disappearance

Quinn was employed at the Wal-Mart store on Hendersonville Road in Asheville, North Carolina in 2000. He departed from work at 9:00 p.m. on January 2 of that year and met his friend, Robert Jason Owens, in the store's parking lot (some agencies may spell his last name "Owen"). Quinn planned to look at a vehicle he was considering purchasing in the near future that evening. Owens said he was accompanying Quinn and they drove separate cars to the location.

A security camera videotape at the Eblen Citgo gas station on Hendersonville Road showed Quinn and Owens entering the store to purchase sodas at approximately 9:15 p.m. Owens's Ford pickup truck and Quinn's light blue Mazda Protege are seen pulling away from the station on the tape several minutes later. Both vehicles were headed towards Long Shoals Road.

Owens told authorities that Quinn flashed his headlights sometime prior to 9:30 p.m. The men were near TC Roberson High School on Long Shoals Road in Asheville at the time. Owens said they both pulled over to the side of the road and Quinn told him he received a page. Owens stated that Quinn drove away to make a phone call at that time. Owens told authorities that Quinn returned approximately ten minutes later and rear-ended Owens's truck. Quinn apologized for the accident and said that he could not look at the vehicle as planned that evening. Owens said that Quinn drove away and has never been heard from again.

Owens was treated for head injuries and a broken rib he claimed to have incurred during an unrelated automobile accident during the early morning hours of January 3, several hours after Quinn disappeared. Owens stated that the accident occurred near The Waffle House restaurant on Long Shoals Road by the intersection of Interstate 26. Owens called Wal-Mart on January 4 and reported that Quinn was ill and would not be arriving for his shift that day. After giving his inital statement about Quinn's disappearance, he refused to cooperate further with police.

Quinn's Mazda Protege was discovered abandoned on January 16, two weeks after his disappearance. The vehicle was located in the parking lot of The Little Pigs Barbecue restaurant on McDowell Street. A live black Labrador puppy, approximately three months old, and a plastic hotel key were found inside Quinn's car. A pair of lips and two exclamation points had been drawn in lipstick on the rear windshield. There was no sign of Quinn at the scene. The puppy did not belong to him. The vehicle was parked nearby Mission St. Joseph's Hospital, where Quinn's grandmother, mother and sister all work as neonatal nurses. Authorities believe that foul play was involved in Quinn's disappearance and are investigating his case as a homicide. His family said that it is extremely uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning. No charges have brought against anyone in connection with Quinn's case, although police are actively investigating it and broadcasted a filmed reinactment of his disappearance in 2005.
Quinn was involved with the ROTC in high school. He was a student at a technical school at the time of his disappearance and made good grades. His case remains unsolved.

I'm wondering about a police report for the 2nd accident too. Why did the friend call in sick for the missing man? How did he know that he wouldn't be at work that day? Now the "friend" refuses to cooperate with police! Sounds pretty strange to me.

I wonder if Quinn had any money with him? He may have had the money for the new car with him just in case he decided to buy the car he was going to look at. He might not have received a page either...that might just be the friends story as an excuse why Quinn changed his mind about looking at the car he was thinking about buying.

I wonder if LE suspect this friend? I think that I would question his whole story. Wonder if the lips drawn in lipstick were inside or outside of the window. Where did that poor puppy come from...that is really odd. If Quinn did get a page maybe that was what it was about. Doesn't sound like he would have had much time to look after a pup though with school and his work. I hope something is heard from this young man and that he is alright.

I wonder if LE could ever confirm that the page was a fact? It's just strange

I'm thinking the friend knows oh so much more it's a shame that they cannot get him to help this family find some sort of end to this horrible scenario

I think Owens is a l.s.o.s., and there's a very good reason he's not aiding the family to find out what happened. What is wrong with LE there? Seems like they could easily rip Owen's story to shreds if they'd bother.

Just thinking

I was just thinking about this young man's case yesterday, but could not remember his name. Thanks for bumping it up to where I could find it. I work in Asheville and I am very familiar with the areas described in the report. I always found it strange that his car was found where it was. Someone had to go out of their way to get it from Long Shoals Road to the parking lot. Also, I do not remember hearing about any damage to the car, from the supposed rear-end collision with Owens truck. Has anyone ever read anything about the condition of the car, besides the drawing, when it was found?

Not surprising to see Owens involved in more crime..
Why couldn't LE make him talk more is right?! Who's his father?

Could LE trace where the page Quinn got came from? Owens could have had a cell phone secretly and done it from it, or had anyone do it for him.
Then Quinn comes back and rearends Owens truck? That's a little odd. I doubt it was reported from how it was worded. He apologies for rearending him and says he can't go look at the car?..

Maybe Owens stole Quinn's car and did the damage himself to his own truck and Quinn's car somehow.. Then it says Quinn was treated for a broken rib and head injuries from another unrelated auto accident the morning of Jan 3, early morning, only hours after Quinn disappeared.

Obviously Owens knows more than he saying, i have no idea why LE wouldn't arrest him and make him cooperate.

Maybe the injuries Owens got are from getting into an accident using Owen's car?

The whole lipstick drawing and puppy thing seems to be attempt to make it appear that Quinn ran off with a girl.

Does Owens happen to be shorter than Quinn?

This case is completely solveable, had LE bothered to further interogate Owens! What do they mean he "refused to cooperate" after an initial statement? LE should have took the hint!

On Page 2 the first two thing are pictures of his car. I made the picture of the lipstick a little bigger and I'll put it on my photoshop and try to clean it up some and post it. It looks like orange lipstick with an exclamation point.
It also says there was damage to the front of his car, so it could have been from rear ending someone or it could be something previously done.

Robert Owens is extremely suspicious, he seems to be getting in more trouble than most people and that does bother me. Also the fact that he was in 2 wrecks in 1 day.. how often does that really happen? It's all spectulation though.